Stacking stock basket



1952 J P MOORHEAD 2,620,083

' STACKING STOCK, BASKET Filed May 26, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEE'I i INVENTOR Jd/M/ I? Mddk/IEAD BY Arroewsy D8; 1952 J. P. MOORHEAD 2,620,083

smcxmc STOCK BASKET Filed May 26, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Ila-a4 lo JIL l6 jl difl INVENTOR. 26 f JOIM P Noam/40 Patented Dec. 2, 1952 STACKING STOCK BASKET John P. Moorhead, Dearborn Township, Wayne County, Mich., assignor to Wall Wire Products Company, Plymouth, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 26, 1950, Serial No. 164,485

9 Claims.

This invention relates to basket structures in general and has particular reference to baskets of wire construction which may be used as stock baskets for conveying articles to and from various machines or other work stations and through liquid processing baths during the manufacture of such articles.

This invention contemplates a. novel method of constructing wire baskets whereby a plurality of the baskets may be stacked vertically without impairing the carrying capacity of the baskets and whereby the baskets may be so stacked when loaded as well as when unloaded.

The invention also contemplates a stock basket which may be provided with a cover therefor and a means whereby a plurality of such baskets may be stacked vertically whether the cover is used with each basket or not. The detachable cover is provided with a means for suspending the assembled basket and cover from a suitable support so that the articles may be left within the basket during certain operations being performed thereon.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a stock basket so constructed that a plurality of such baskets may be stacked vertically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stock basket having a novel cover retaining means thereon whereby the .basket may be suspended from a support by means of the cover when the cover is assembled to the basket.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stock basket which permits the stacking of a plurality of baskets, each of which baskets may be provided with a removable cover if desired.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which there are two sheets, which by way of illustration show a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying the principles of my invention. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

F'ig. 1 is a perspective view of a stock basket embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a cover which may be used with the stock basket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view showing the basket with the cover applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view showing a plurality of the baskets in stacked relation; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing a basket having a cover thereon, which basket is suspended from a fixed support by means of the cover.

In Fig. 1 there is disclosed a basket preferably made of wire construction which comprises a top, bottom and intermediate frame members l0, I2 and I4 respectively. The frame members Ill, l2 and M are substantially rectangular in shape and are of the same size. The frame members may be provided with article supporting means, and as shown in Fig. 1, such article supporting means may comprise a plurality of wire strips 20 secured to the upper surface of and extending between two of the opposing sides of the frame [2. The intermediate frame member I4 is provided with wire strips 22 secured to the under side thereof and which strips are perpendicularly arranged relative to the strips 20. Additional wire strips 24 are secured to the upper surfaces of the strips 22 and are arranged perpendicular to the strips 22. It is apparent that the article supporting means just described may be altered in any manner so as to fit the particular article for which the basket is provided.

As is disclosed in Figs. 1 and 4, a pair of support members for the frames is secured at each of two of the opposing sides of the frames Ill, l2 and I4. The supports comprise members l6 arranged at one end of the opposing sides of the frames and members 18 arranged adjacent the other ends of the opposing sides of the frames. The members 18 and I8 may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the outer sides of each of the frame members. As shown in Fig. 4, the support members of each pair diverge upwardly and project above the top frame I0.

The upper ends of the support members It are bent so as to terminate in transversely disposed ends 26, and the upper ends of the support members it are bent so as to terminate in transversely disposed portions 28. The transversely arranged portions 26 and 28 all project in the same direction toward one end of the frames.

A cover 30 is provided for the basket and comprises a rectangular frame 32 which is of the same size and shape as the frames Ill, l2 and I4. Wire strips 34 are secured to the under side of the frame 32 and extend between two of the opposing sides thereof. A strip 36 is secured to the upper surface of the frame 32 adjacent each end thereof.

The cover 30 may be assembled to the basket with the wire strips 34 seated on the upper surface of the top frame it. The ends of the strips 36 project laterally beyond the sides of the frame 32 and are adapted to engage the bent portions of the support members l6 and E8. The laterally projecting ends of the strips 3% engage the straight portions of the upper ends of the support members and. are arranged below the transversely extending portions 26 and 28 so that relative movement between the cover til and the top frame it is prevented except in one direction. The transverse portions 26 and 28 of the support members together with portions of the upper surface of the top frame It define slots facing in the same direction for receiving the laterally projecting ends of the strips 36. The inner sides of the support members are engageable with the sides of the frame 32 so as to prevent relative lateral movement between the cover and the frame It.

The use of the cover 30 with the basket is optional for most purposes for which the basket may be used. However, in some operations being performed on the articles carried by the basket it may be desirable to suspend the basket from a fixed support. As shown in Fig. 5, the cover 30 provides a simple and eflicient means of supporting the basket from a support. To this end a hook 38 is welded to the upper surface of one end of the frame 32 of the cover 30. The hook 38 comprises two hook-shaped members at supported by a brace 42. When the cover 3% is assembled to the basket, the basket may be suspended from a support 44 by means of the hook 38. When the basket is arranged in the position shown in Fig. 5, the engagement of the laterally projecting ends of the strips 36 with the bent portions of the support members it and i8 and with the transverse portions 26 and 28 will maintain the cover in assembled relation with respect to the basket.

A plurality of the baskets disclosed herein may be stacked vertically whether a cover so is applied to each of the baskets or not. In Fig. 4 there is shown a stacking arrangement in which the two upper baskets are provided with a cover 30 whilethe lowermost basket does not have a cover. The support members of each pair, as shown in Fig. 4, are upwardly diverging and each is inclined at a slightly different angle with respect to the frames It, l2 and it than the other member of the pair.

When the lower basket of two stacked baskets is not provided with a cover, the lower frame l2 of the upper basket is adapted to be seated upon the upper surface of the top frame It of the lower basket. In this position the outer sides of the lower frame l2 are engageable with the inner sides of the support members it and it so as to prevent relative lateral movement between the baskets.

As shown in Fig. 3, the upper ends of the support members It and [8 are bent outwardly a slight amount so as to permit the baskets to be stacked and unstacked easily. However, only a slight amount of clearance between the inner sides of the support members and the outer sides of the bottom frame i2 is necessary so that there will be only a very slight amount of lateral movement between the baskets. The straight portions of the support members it which project above the top frame H] of the lower basket are adapted to engage the lower portions of the support members l6 of the upper basket so as to prevent endwise movement between the baskets in one direction. Similarly, the ends of the transverse portions 28 of the support members It are engageable with the lower portions of the support members l8 of the upper basket to prevent endwise movement between the baskets in the other direction. It will therefore be seen that the support members it and it which provide the only means for assembling the top, bottom and intermediate frames in their proper relation also provide a means for stacking a plurality of baskets vertically so that relative lateral and endwise movement between the baskets is prevented.

The two upper baskets shown in Fig. 4 are each provided with a cover 3E, and the stacking arrangement of two or more baskets having covers thereon is very similar to that previously described. However, it will be noted that the lower frame E2 of the upper basket is adapted to seat upon the upper surface of the cross strips 36 of the cover St on the lower basket. Since the support members of each pair are upwardly diverging, the lower frame if of the upper basket will engage the upper end of the support members 16 and. i8 of the lower basket at a different point. However, the amount of endwise and lateral movement permitted between the two baskets, the lower of which is provided with a cover, will still be very slight.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A basket assembly comprising superposed baskets each having rectangular top and bottom frame members, a pairof support members secured to said frames at each of two opposing sides thereof, said support members projecting above said top frame and terminating at the upper ends thereof in transversely arranged portions, and a cover adapted to seat on said top frame, said cover having a frame of the same size and shape as said top and bottom frames and having means projecting laterally therefrom engaging the upper ends of said support members and arranged below said transverse portions thereof, the upper ends of the support members of the lower basket being engageable with the bottom frame and the support members of the next upper basket for preventing relative lateral and endwise movement between said baskets.

2. A basket assembly comprising superposed baskets each having top and bottom frame members, a pair of support members secured to said frames at each of two opposing sides thereof, said support members projecting above said top frame and terminating at the upper ends thereof in transversely arranged portions, and a removable cover adapted to seat on said top frame, said cover having means projecting laterally therefrom engaging the upper ends of said support members and arranged below said transverse portions thereof, the transverse portions of the support members of the lower basket being engageable with the bottom frame and the support members of the next upper basket for preventing relative lateral and endwise movement betwen said baskets.

3. A basket assembly comprising superposed baskets each having rectangular top and bottom frame members, a pair of support members secured to the outer sides of each of two opposing sides of said frames, said support members projecting above said top frame and terminating at the upper ends thereof in transversely arranged portions projecting toward one end of said frames, and a cover adapted to seat on said top frame, said cover having a frame of the same size and shape as said top and bottom frame and having means projecting laterally therefrom engaging said upper ends of said support members and arranged below said transverse portions thereof, the transverse portions of the support members of the lower basket being engageable with the bottom frame and the support members of the next upper basket for preventing relative lateral and endwise movement between said baskets.

4. A basket assembly comprising superposed baskets each having top and bottom frame members, a pair of support members secured to said frames at each of two opposing sides thereof, said support members being upwardly diverging and projecting above said top frame, and a cover adapted to seat on said top frame, said cover having a frame of the same size and shape as said top and bottom frames and having cross members secured to the upper surface thereof and projecting laterally therefrom, the upper ends of said support members having transversely arranged portions projecting toward one end of said frames, said cross members being arranged below said transverse portions of said support members, the upper basket of said assembly being adapted to seat on said cross members, the transverse portions of the support members of the lower basket being engageable with the lower frame and the support members of the upper basket for preventing relative lateral and endwise movement between said baskets.

5. A stock basket comprising aligned rectangular top and bottom frame members, a plurality of support members for assembling said frames in spaced parallel relation secured to the outer sides of said frames at each of two opposing sides thereof, said support members projecting above said top frame and terminating at their upper ends in transversely arranged portions, and a cover including a frame member having cross members projecting laterally therefrom, the upper ends of said support members being engageable with said cover for preventing relative lateral movement between said cover and said top frame, the transverse portions of said support members and portions of the upper surface of said top frame defining slots facing toward one end of said frames, said cross members being receivable in said slots for preventing movement of said cover relative to said top frame except in one direction.

6. A stock basket comprising aligned rectangular top and bottom frame members, a pair of support members secured to the outer sides of each of two opposing sides of said frames, said support members projecting above said top frame and terminating at their upper ends in transversely arranged portions projecting toward one end of said frames, and a cover adapted to seat on said top frame, said cover having means projecting laterally therefrom engaging the upper ends of said support members and arranged below the transverse portions thereof so as to prevent movement of said cover relative to said top frame except in one direction.

7. A stock basket according to claim 6 wherein said cover is provided with a means by which said cover and said basket may be suspended.

8. Basket structure comprising superposed baskets each having top and bottom frames secured together in spaced parallel relation, a pair of upwardly diverging members secured to said frames at each of two opposing sides thereof, said members projecting above said top frame and having substantially straight portions extending from said bottom frame to above said top frame, the upper ends of the upwardly diverging members of a lower basket being engageable with the bottom frame and with the remote surfaces of the straight portions of the members of a superposed basket for preventing relative lateral and endwise movement between said baskets.

9. Basket structure according to claim 8 wherein said upwardly divergin members provide the sole means for securing said top and bottom frames in said spaced parallel relation.

JOHN P. MOORHEAD.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,922,605 Spear Aug. 15, 1933 2,364,705 Geralds a- Dec. 12, 1944 

